The Beauty in All of Us
by Scepidilionz
Summary: AU. The majourity of the Attack on Titan cast are artisans in Paris. Erwin, a poet, Levi, a painter, and Hanji, a musician, move in together to try and build their careers. In the City of Love, can everyone find who they are destined to be with?
1. Roommates

**Greetings!**

 **This is my first ever attempt at an AU, but nonetheless I am going to try my best!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

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 **Chapter One:  
Roomates**

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Moving in together was crazy, there were just too many things everywhere. Erwin had a typewriter on the middle of the temporary table, where Levi screamed that his paint supplies were supposed to be, wondering who could have moved them. Hanji found them on top of her piano, saying something about how it could scratch the surface.

"Who spilled my calligraphy ink?!" Erwin yelled, looking at the black mess on the brand new carpet, "We haven't even been here six hours, and there's already a permanent stain in the middle of the living room!" He held his hands out, looking at it.

"That's not ink, that's my gouache paint!" Levi gasped, looking at it. "Now what am I going to shade with?!" This was a nightmare! "This place is a fucking pigsty, There's absolutely no way I'll be able to concentrate- Hanji careful with that box!" He yelled, "Those are stiff horsehair brushes and the last thing I need is dust getting in them, or the bristles being frayed! Do you know what it's like to paint with frayed brushes? A disaster! A messy, ugly disaster!"

She set it down in the hallway, "Well, it was on my piano!" She folded her arms, looking at the mess around them. They knew it was going to be trouble moving in together. They were all such strong personalities. Though they had graduated from the same class of one of Paris's top art academies, so they already knew each other. However, as artists, they were all struggling to make a living on their own, let alone keep a roof over their heads, so they decided to band together to try and make their careers.

Erwin sighed, sitting down on the floor of the living room. They hadn't bought any furniture yet, so they would all be sleeping on the floors of their bedrooms. He had brought his mattress, but it was still in the moving truck. "I think we all need to take a break." He looked up the other two, who sat down as well. "I understand that we're all calm-challenged, but if we're going to make this work, we need to take chill pills."

"I'm sorry, I left my pot in the car." Hanji said, "I mean I can go get it, but…"

"Those aren't pills." Levi said, looking at her, "I have some Xanax. But those are also in the car-"

"I didn't mean drugs!" Erwin sighed, putting his face in his palms. "Hanji. I'm well aware you need… grass… For your artistic process… But Levi? Xanax?"

"I get anxiety when I'm surrounded by idiots." He said, looking at his cuticles. "And then my hands shake. Do you know how hard it is to paint with shaky hands?" He looked to the gouache on the floor, "Not that I'll be able to paint now. Thanks to however spilled it."

"I blame the goblins." Hanji said, rolling her eyes. "It must have fallen out of a box, and someone stepped on it. You'll live." She reached to ruffle his hair, only to be swatted at. This resulted in her laughing, trying even harder to mess up his hair. In the process, the accidentally kicked Erwin in the face.

"Really?!" He said, getting up, the two wrestles looking up at him and his bleeding nose. There was now blood on the carpet as well. He looked at it with a sigh, "What a beautiful painting. Of Pain."

* * *

Erwin had made all of them dinner that night. Not only did he have a way with words, but his way in the kitchen was a poem of its own. "Remind me again why you didn't go to culinary school." Levi said. They had gotten most of the house set up. The boxes were where they were supposed to be. His easel was set up on the porch, overlooking the city. His second easel was in the main room, beside Hanji's piano. Back when they were in school, he used to like painting while she played whatever she was learning for her recitals. Her songs had inspired a number of his paintings, and were usually much brighter and more colourful than what he did on his own.

"I did, for a semester." He smiled, taking a bite of the chicken he had made, with a side of penne covered in vodka sauce. It was just a simple meal. "I found I couldn't express myself enough on a plate." He took a sip of the wine Hanji had grabbed at the supermarket. It was nothing impressive, but just enough to celebrate their first night together. "To bigger and better things." They all toasted, taking a sip together.

Hanji coughed, setting the glass down, "I forgot how much I hate red wine." She got up to go get a glass of water, accidentally knocking the glass onto the floor, "Eh?!" She watched the liquid drain from the glass, onto the already destroyed carpet.

Levi set his own glass down. "You have got to be kidding me." He shook his head, getting up to help her clean it. Though the wine would never completely come out, no matter how often they tried, even years later. "Just forget about it." He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Sit down, I'll get you apple juice." If she was going to make messes like a child, then she was going to drink juice like a child.

She clapped happily, and Erwin couldn't help but smile. "I love apple juice!" Levi handed her a fresh cup, this one was made of plastic, so at least if she spilled it, she couldn't break it. "So, I was thinking, once we're finished unpacking tomorrow, we should go into town and look at some furniture. We definitely need a couch, a table that _isn't_ my piano, and chairs that aren't boxes." They had sold all of their furniture before they moved in together, "Plus, this is the first time I've been in the inner city since graduation!" She smiled, looking to Levi, who was just sitting back down. He was the only one who had lived here since before they went to school. "You should show us around."

"I don't know my way around much." He took another bite of the pasta, "I never left the area I grew up in. When I did, it was because I was getting arrested for painting on walls." This happened every other month. Why didn't people just get it?! He couldn't afford a canvas as large as those walls. So he just painted on them instead. And then those fools actually had all of his precious work scrubbed off! Their property value would have gone up had they left it on! He was only trying to do them a favor.

"I do, actually." Erwin said, thinking back on it. "I used to go there to get inspiration. I like to write about people. There's something in the way they move that's so… Magical." He said, unable to put a single word on it. No matter how many poems he wrote, he could never quite capture the whole beauty of it, a river of people, all moving separately but having a single flow down the street. It was even prettier when it was raining, because all of the umbrellas bobbing up and down in one vivid and colourful symphony. "So let's go tomorrow." He smiled, spinning his wine glass, watching the liquid inside dance.

Levi nodded, "I don't see why not. I need to make sure that whatever Hanji picks out isn't an ugly mess."

"Like your paintings?"

"Listen here you little shit!" He stood up, seeing her laughing her ass off, and sitting back down. "The only reason _my work_ would be messy is because some idiot frayed my brushes."

"Oh I'd fray your brush alright." She poked his forehead. Maybe she had had a puff earlier. They would never know.

"Brilliant play of words." Erwin said, ignoring the fact that the two were wrestling on the carpet, and getting to work on cleaning up the dishes. "One of you make sure to wash these." He knew Levi liked cleaning, and found it cathartic. He also knew that Hanji would break something if she tried, and make an even larger mess. "I'm getting a shower."

"Have fun." Hanji said, looking up from beneath Levi. "Make sure to leave a hair on Levi's soap!"

"Oh that's nasty!" Levi said, and Hanji got the advantage while he was distracted, and pinned him beneath her.

"I win!"

"Says who?"

"Says my knee being in the perfect position to ensure that you never have kids." She smirked, messing up his hair.

"That's low." He said with a slight growl, "I'll get you back for this!" She got up, cheering in victory, heading off to her room. If there was any moment for him to pop a chill pill, it was now, before he had an aneurysm.

* * *

Erwin paraded around the house early the next morning, admiring the view from the porch. The sun hadn't even come up yet, but people were still scurrying in their cars, rushing to get to work. It was so unnatural. None of the other animals were up, so why were humans? "Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked when he heard Levi's footsteps. Levi was so light on his feet for someone so down on their emotions all the time. "You take your medications?"

"Yes mom, I don't need you to remind me." He leaned on the railing, overlooking the scene below. He and Erwin had been friends for such a long time. Much to Erwin's father's dismay, who was the police chief constantly arresting him. "But yeah, it's nice." Dark scenes were always his favourite to paint. He didn't use much colour, it was his style, for what it was worth. He was still trying to find that sense in his work that was just right. He would know when he found it, everything would just click, and make sense. "How's your wrist?" He took Erwin's right hand into his own, looking it over, "You really should get a brace for when you write, you're going to injure yourself even further if you keep it up."

Erwin laughed, looking at the wrist in question. It was swollen. "I think I pulled it again yesterday while lifting those boxes."

"What an old man." Levi said, letting his arm go, and looking outside again. "Do you ever just get the feeling that something great it about to happen? Something so wonderful that it will change the world?" Erwin looked at him, shocked, this was unusual for Levi. He had suffered from depression for years, so if there was anything to shake him out of that, it should be applauded.

Erwin smiled, hearing Hanji's door open, "Yeah I do. I get those feelings a lot." He drew circles on the railing with his finger, looking back when Hanji knocked on the wall to get their attention.

"Sorry to interrupt your date~" Hanji smiled, leaning on said wall. "I'm making breakfast, what do you-"

"Hell no." Levi said, "You can't cook with hair like that, it will get in the eggs, and then we'll all die." He looked at her fingers next, "And your hands are a mess, you need a manicure before you even try preparing my food. You could get skin flakes or something nasty in there." He dragged her off, going to clean her up, Erwin laughing as he went to make them omelets.

After they ate, they headed into town. The city was alive and bustling as usual. There were dozens of people taking pictures, as always. The flashes from people's phones and cameras were quite annoying, especially to the people who lived there. "Idiots don't know how to turn the damn flash off. It's in the middle of the day." Levi said, folding his arms.

Hanji looked around at all of the aspiring street musicians and caricature artists. "Ah, I love this place!" She had been here a few times before, and every time her breath was taken away. She could see a little blonde photographer, taking photos on quite a nice DSLR camera, a silver haired man blowing glass, a young asian woman dancing to the beat of a foreign song, alongside a brown haired man who was advertising his pottery. It was so magical! "Cutie at ten o'clock." She said, nudging Levi, "Come on, go talk to him." He was a tall blonde man, with quite a well chiseled nose.

"I've told you a hundred times, I don't swing that way- Is that Nanaba?" He asked, looking towards a woman singing, "Wow, I haven't seen her since graduation. She's… Really cleaned up." He had a slight blush to his cheeks, Erwin was staring as well.

Hanji folded her arms, "Oh come on." She rolled her eyes, feeling a tad jealous. "Hey, Boys, snap out of it."

"I'm in love." Erwin said, earning stares from the other two. He wasn't looking at Nanaba, he never had been, his eyes were locked on a silver haired woman setting up display dresses in a shop window. He could feel his heart in his ears, listening to its rapid pace. He felt like he couldn't breathe. "Hanji, go find out her name. Please."

"Wow… Erwin. It's one thing to say a girl's hot but… In love?" She scoffed, heading towards the store, "I don't wear dresses, by the way. I prefer pantsuits. Something that screams 'I'm the more dominant in this relationship'." She headed into the store, it smelled like Vanilla candles, and soft flute music was playing from a small speaker by the register.

"How can I help you?" The woman asked, a small smile on her face. It seemed forced, like she wasn't used to being near people.

"Hi, I'm Hanji Zoe." She shook the woman's hand. "My friend out there, the tall one, reverted back to fifth grade when he saw you, and sent me in to get your name. He's a blundering idiot, but he's really sweet." She could hear two other people in the back of the store.

"Petra, that should go over there." A man said, referring to a pink bridal gown. The man's presence distracted the silver haired woman.

"No, Olou, it goes here. With the other pink dresses. Ah, How can I help you? Sorry, Rico is our designer. She's not used to handling customers." She smiled, chirping up like a small bird. She saw Levi and Erwin through the shop window, and raised an eyebrow, "I'm guessing that this is a social call." She could see the way Erwin looked nervous, like he was about to start pacing. "Rico, whenever you're done, the truck just stopped by and there's this brilliant velvet fabric that you should totally try as an accent on your latest design."

"Yeah… Sure." Rico said, nodding. "Um… My name is Rico." She said to Hanji, "And to be honest, I'm quite creeped out right now… So…"

"Got it. We'll see you another time!" Hanji smiled, handling Erwin's rejection for him. "She's creeped out." She said to Erwin, dragging him away, "So slow it down love bird, you'll see her again. She's the designer there." Ah, this city was so full of art! "Her name is Rico, didn't get a last name."

"Great…" Erin sighed, and Levi patted his back. But he knew the moment he laid eyes on her that she was his soulmate. All he had to do was convince her of that without being creepy. That would be easy, right?

Levi smiled, being in the same boat at the moment, even though he would never admit it. A little ray of sunshine had appeared in his life, and he was going to do his best to open the curtains and let that light in.

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 **Your support means so much!**


	2. I Want to be Happy

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 **Chapter Two:**

 **I Want to be Happy**

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"Excuse me!" The blonde boy that Hanji had seen earlier chirped up. He was so cute! His hair was tied back, blue eyes shining with hope, "Would you mind if I take your picture?" All three of them were such beautiful people, something about them just felt special, "My name is Armin Arlert, I work for a journalism company called Sina. I'm taking pictures for a piece on French natives in tourist heavy areas." One of such would be Paris of course! "It would be quick, the publisher prefers candid shots, so I would follow you for a bit, of course you get to see and approve the photos. I would need you to sign wavers as well!" He smiled, and Hanji thought her heart would melt.

"Of course!" She smiled, wanting to hug the little imp. "Even if they say no, it's a yes. Erwin, he looks like you!"

Erwin smiled, "I can see a resemblance." He signed the waiver that was passed to him. Levi looked at it skeptically, but signed it after a moment. He was eyeing the boy's leg.

"How'd you get that limp?" He asked, and Armin shifted uncomfortably. He had thought it had healed correctly. "Ah forget I asked, I don't like getting involved with strangers." None the less, he knew what it was. The way he was holding it. _Someone's beating the poor kid._ Both Hanji and Erwin looked to him curiously, wondering what he meant by it. "Forget about it." If the kid needed help, he would find it. Levi knew first hand that he would rather be living in an abusive home than in a foster home or on the streets. Because at least those beating him knew he existed.

Armin smiled, "I'm fine, sir." He had to get good at his job, that way he, Eren, and Mikasa could travel the world together one day. He wanted to see all of it with the people that meant more than the globe itself to him.

After a brief exchange, Levi, Hanji, and Erwin headed on their way to the furniture store. From there they picked out a brown couch, as well as an Ash table and chair set. They ordered mattresses, but they wouldn't be getting the bed frames quite yet. Armin showed them the pictures he had taken of their work, and Hanji cooed over all of them. He was so talented! He headed on his way, and they started on their way back.

"I don't know you were all… motherly." Levi said, kind of freaked out. She was the least baby crazy person he knew. "Sure, the kid was cute but…"

"He has a future, Levi! I can feel it." She smiled, elbowing Erwin when they passed the dress shop again, "I see your Juliet!"

Trying to change the subject, he called for an old friend, "Nanaba!" He smiled, waving. She was taking a break, talking to the man with the well chiseled nose that they had seen earlier. Nanaba waved back, beckoning them over. "How are you doing?"

"Wonderful!" Nanaba said, flicking her hair. She seemed so happy. Back in the academy, she was always quiet and reserved, she only ever spoke if she was spoken to. "I just got an offer today! A producer from 'Garrison Rose' came up to me after a song today, I got his card and everything!" She laughed, and the man she was with smiled, "Ah, this is my friend Mike. He designs perfumes for Maria's Crown!" She said, stating one of the most popular perfume brands in all of France. The producer she had spoken to was quite well known as well. "Everything's just falling into place, I'm so happy. How about you?"

"Wow, that's wonderful." Erwin said, "We just moved in together, actually."

"I had no idea you and Levi were a couple! Congratulations." She smiled again, seeing Hanji, "All… Three of you are a couple?" She asked quizzically. It wouldn't be the first time she had heard of such an arrangement… But it would be strange nonetheless.

"We moved in. As friends." Levi sighed, eyes wandering to Hanji, who was playing with Mike's hair. "Forgive the idiot. She likes shiny things."

"It's… No problem." Mike said, letting her do as she wished. "Nanaba did tell me that all of her classmates were… eccentric."

"They all also graduated the top of their fields." Nanaba smiled. "Erwin writes poetry, Levi paints, and Hanji plays piano!" Despite that, they all were having a hard time making names for themselves. Yes kids, that's what a degree in the arts gets you. "What are you doing now?"

"Independent work." Hanji said, letting go of Mike's hair. "None of us wanted to sign to a studio yet." She wasn't going to be stuck helping tune pianos for the first six years of her career, no way. Erwin would die if he dipped someone else's pens, and Levi would hate it if he touched up someone else's paintings, but never got to sign his name. It was degrading. "It seems everything is working out for you."

She nodded, happiness in her eyes, "I was going to sing backup for those new pop stars, Ymir and Christa, but this is even better!" She lept into Mike's arms, who caught her. "Hey, why don't you guys come to dinner with us? It would make a friend of ours feel like less of a third wheel. She's single too! Ah!" She waved to someone behind Hanji, "Rico!" She looked to Levi and Erwin, "Isn't she adorable?"

Rico approached as she cleaned her glasses, "You all know each other?" She recognised Hanji for sure as the woman from the shop earlier. She recognised Erwin too, the blundering blonde. He was cuter up close… And if he knew Nanaba he couldn't be a bad person… "Nice to meet you all."

"They're coming to dinner with us! They're all my old classmates." Nanaba said.

"Actually, we have a fuckton of bills to worry about, new apartment and all." Levi shrugged, and Nanaba hopped down from Mike to grab his face, "Yes, Nanaba?" How high was she? She clearly was on something to be this hyper. Had this weird guy, Mike, slipped her something? He would beat his ass if he even tried.

"Do you honestly expect me to invite people out… And then not cover the tab?" Nanaba was from quite a well known family in France. She had two summer estates in her name. Despite that, her career was something that she wanted to work for, and not have it handed to her, unlike everything else in her life. "Levi, do you think so low of me?" She laughed, letting him go, taking Mike's hand. "Come along!"

"Do we have a choice?" Hanji whispered, looking down at Levi. She had been hoping for a day of rest, but it seemed that that wasn't going to happen.

He shook his head, looking to the brown haired potter he had seen earlier. He was arguing with the silver haired glass blower, while the young asian woman sat and watched, seemingly ready to pounce and break it up if it transpired into violence. "Well, Romeo gets to meet Juliet." Erwin, what were you doing? You were always so confident! It was one of the things the ladies loved about him! _Get with it, Genius. Then again… I'm a hypocrite._ He watched Hanji, the way the setting sun caught fire in her brown eyes. How many times had he sketched an image like that? Now that he was looking at it, he could hardly take his eyes off of her.

"You think I'm cute?" Rico asked him with a wink, they were trailing behind the rest of the group.

Erwin nodded, "Forgive me for not expressing it myself... " He felt like his chest was on fire again. Like he needed to scratch at it in a feeble attempt to catch his breath. "You're quite stunning." He caught the blush on her pale cheeks, as delicate as a pink peony.

She smiled, "Thanks… Though… You don't look my type." She looked up at him, he was so clean. Not a scar on his pretty face, "Have you...Ever been arrested?" Wow, the young lady working at a bridal shop was into bad boys.

"My dad was a police chief." He laughed, "He would have killed me. Though… All my friends are always doing something crazy and illegal." He laughed, thinking about it. Levi was a graffiti artist and Hanji always had some sort of illegal drug on her, "So I guess you could say I'm the good guy of the group."

"Cute." She said. Sure, even if he wasn't her type, she should still give him a chance. He seemed like a decent person, and they even had friends in common. "I'm guessing you're also the third wheel of your group as well." Mike and Nanaba were so crazy in love, and always dragging her places. Even her bosses were having angry sex while she was on lunch break. Sometimes she felt like she would always be the odd one out.

"Come again?" Erwin asked, curious as to what she meant.

"The way he's looking at her." She motioned up to Levi and Hanji. Levi was still watching Hanji's face, the way the light danced on her skin, "That's the look of someone in love. I see it all the time in the shop." Not just her bosses, but when someone came in with their significant other, wanted a dress custom made, the way they looked at each other. It melted her heart and made her want to cry. That was the reason she made wedding dresses. To bring that glimmer to people's eyes.

"If he is… He's never said anything." It made him look back at all the times Levi and Hanji had interacted with each other. Just this morning, when Levi had made fun of her unkempt manner, and helped her clean up… And last night when he had gotten her the apple juice… It was small things alone, but over time, many of those little things had added up. He didn't do those things with other people. "Maybe you're right." Maybe he was the third wheel and just didn't know it yet.

She smiled, wiping a small tear from her eye, which went unnoticed by her temporary companion. God, seeing people fall in love was so beautiful.

* * *

Levi spun the win in his glass as Mike told a story about some idiot at his work who once shattered an entire case of perfume bottles, which had just been filled. He couldn't drink tonight, he had taken his medications today. Plus, someone needed to make sure Hanji got home safely. Who knew what Erwin and that Rico chick would be doing tonight, they had sure hit it off. Though Erwin was a gentleman. He would likely kiss her hand goodnight, and promise to see her again. Then he would show up at her work with flowers and beautifully written lines of poetry. "What an idiot." He said aloud, earning a look from everyone at the table, "Oh. Sorry. I was thinking of something else."

Nanaba smiled, Levi hadn't spoken all evening. He was usually quiet, but this was strange, even for him. "Everything alright? Would you mind sharing?" It was a stretch, but perhaps Levi would decide to talk.

"I was thinking about the latest American football game. Some moron made a premature pass, and they lost the game because of it." Hopefully none of them knew about American football, because he for sure didn't know a thing. Was it even their football season? He hoped so.

"I didn't know you liked sports." Hanji said with a smile gracing her face. Levi couldn't help but notice the candle light in her eyes, much like the sun.

"I don't. I just like making fun of the morons that play it. That would require some knowledge about the game." He set the wine down, stretching. This was a nice place to eat, nestled on the river. Mike didn't say anything, but he happened to be an expert on American football, and it certainly wasn't football season. However, the man was obviously trying to cover for something, so he would let it go. "We.. Also ran into a boy today. He's being beat, but not seeking help." He sighed, Erwin looked at him in surprise. "Listen. You can't help a kid like that. If he's willing to stick it out, we have to let him. Trust me."

Erwin shook his head, getting up, "No." He smiled to Nanaba, "Thank you for your hospitality, however I have to go find him." He looked to Levi, disappointed in him. _I know what it's like to be in that situation. Do you know how much he beat me after finding you in my room? No… I never told you._

"Erwin. You can't. It's better where he is than on the streets or in a foster home." He got up as well, looking at the taller man. "Let it go. You wouldn't understand."

"Yes, I would." He sighed, heading off.

Levi growled. He looked to Nanaba and Mike, "He… does this. I call it the iron rod of justice that's permanently up his ass-" He watched as Rico got up, chasing after Erwin, yelling her goodbyes. "Apparently she has one too." He sat back down, feeling Hanji's hand resting on his thigh, trying to comfort him.

Mike smiled, looking to Nanaba. "It will serve him well."

Nanaba smiled, taking a sip of wine, noticing Levi had barely touched his. He had certainly been eating though. They needed to change the subject. "So... do you have any plans for Valentine's Day?" She looked to Mike. They would be going to one of her summer estates. Mike had wanted to stay in Paris, but she convinced him otherwise.

Hanji shrugged, "Same thing I do every year. Eat ice cream and watch The Notebook." Levi couldn't help but laugh, it was such a girl thing to do! "Oh? And what will you be doing?"

"Same thing I do every year. I draw." He took a sip of his wine, being careful not to have more than a drop, just to taste it. _I draw you. Every year. Until my hand can't hold a pen._ "What? It's boring, I know." He sighed, feeling pressured.

"Most single guys watch porn on V-day." Mike said, earning a jab from Nanaba, "I said single guys." They were in the awkward stage between friendship and romance. It could go either way at this point, though they had both made it clear to each other that they were interested.

"Well even if I wanted to, which I don't, we don't have internet set up yet." He could see Hanji laughing out of the corner of his eye, "Yes?"

"You have a phone with data. Internet at our apartment is irrelevant." She patted his back, "You're welcome." She had just saved Levi's Valentine's day!

* * *

Rico and Erwin headed through the dimly lit streets that they had walked just hours earlier. In an effort to preserve the feel of the area, it still used hand lit candle streetlamps. Erwin couldn't help but look at it all, it was so beautiful. "You've never seen it at night?" She smiled, seeing his reaction.

He shook his head, "No, I've always lived towards the outside of the city." Rent was too expensive here. His dad being a police captain simply didn't allow it, and his mother was a teacher, before she left them. "You?"

"I live above the shop." She pointed as they passed it. "My bosses own the shop below, and I rent out the space above." It was easy to transport the dresses she made to where they needed to be that way. She didn't have to worry about the fabric getting messed up or dirty during transport! "You know, I once made a dress for a woman with William Blake verses on it." She had had such fun making that dress, it was such a unique design. _"Never seek to tell thy love, Love that never told can be; For the gentle wind does move Silently, invisibly. I told my love, I told my love, I told her all my heart; Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears, Ah! she did depart! Soon as she was gone from me, A traveler came by, Silently, invisibly He took her with a sigh."_ She quoted, and Erwin's face lit up, joining in on the later verses. They both laughed when they finished, and Rico slid her hand into his. "I thought it was a strange poem for a wedding gown, given it's meaning. But it was the one they wanted."

He nodded, agreeing, keeping a lookout for Armin. He seemed so sweet, it was unfair for anyone to hurt him! He was too small to defend himself! _She knows Blake. My heart…_ He heard trash cans rustling in an alley, and Armin came rushing out, holding his head. "Armin!" The boy looked up, flinching at the sound of the man's voice. "Your head is bleeding…"

"I- I'm fine." That was the man he took photos of earlier, "Please, go away. You'll get me in trouble." He backed up, stumbling into another can. "Look, please go away. Please." He had tears in his eyes as a woman called his name, "I have to go back, please stay out of this."

Erwin took out a pair of uncuffs, "You're under arrest for the destruction of public property."

"What?!" Both Rico and Armin said in unison. Erwin didn't understand the situation, but he sure as hell was going to find out more. For that was the iron rod in justice!

The woman came out into the street. She looked nothing like Armin. Sure she was short, but also stout, she had kinkled brown hair as if it hadn't been brushed in weeks, and lifeless green eyes, "Excuse me! That is my son!"

"He's under arrest ma'am." Erwin was well aware that he could go to prison for impersonating a police officer, but so could this woman for beating this child. This wasn't justice. So if he had to stick his neck out, so be it. "For destruction of public property." He motioned to the trashcan.

"Good. Well I hope you learn a lesson Armin." She folded her arms. This would teach the brat to run away from her.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to-" He stifled a sob as she walked away from him. She would hit him even more if he cried. That was why he had run out through the back door in the first place.

Erwin undid the handcuffs, and Rico gave him a questioning look. "Sometimes I have to chain Hanji to things before she does something stupid." This happened… A lot. "So Armin, why don't you explain what's going on?"

"You're not really a police officer?" He asked curiously, sighing. Of course he wasn't a real police officer. "Not here… She can hear." He whispered. He was pretty shaken up.

They headed to Rico's house, where she cleaned Armin's wound, "Ouch, what did she hit you with? It's a pretty deep gash."

"She wasn't the one who hit me, it was her husband." He sighed, "I don't remember what he used… It may have been a golf club…" He never remembered the beatings themselves. His mind just blocked it out. "It's okay though."

"It's not okay." Erwin said from the corner, sitting on Rico's sewing chair. "He's going to kill you if he keeps it up. Why do you stay?"

"I need to stay there to work. I can't work from the orphanage." He sighed, remembering it, "My best friends Eren and Mikasa weren't adopted. They just sneak out to sell Eren's pottery and so Mikasa can dance. The sooner I can save up enough money, the sooner I can get an apartment for us to live in together!" He frowned, shifting slightly, "I know it's a big goal… But I can do it. They can run away from the orphanage once I'm ready. And then from there, once we're legal adults, we can see the world together. I'll make it happen. Since I'm not sixteen yet, I can't work in most industries… So I choose photography. I don't need to be sixteen to sell photos to publishing companies."

Rico nodded, wrapping a bandage around his head, "You're very brave." How did those people pass the background check?! It was completely unreasonable! She knew perfectly happy gay couples who couldn't pass that background check, simply on account of their sexuality! But then people like this passed! "Your friends must really appreciate this."

"If they knew, they'd kill me themselves." Armin nodded, wiping tears from his eyes. "I never told them just how bad it is. But you really have to let me go back. I have to be there."

"No you don't." Rico smiled, "You just need a place to live that isn't the orphanage, right? So run away and stay here. You can be a wedding photographer. I can convince my bosses of it." She patted Armin's hair, "I know I'm a complete stranger. But you're already here, and those people were complete strangers to you too. It'll be better than living in hell, I promise."

Armin looked at her, she seemed so honest and sincere. But what was he going to tell Eren and Mikasa? What if the people who had adopted him saw him? What about… What about Jean? "Alright… But I have someone I need to tell." He blushed, thinking about it. It was so silly, he was going to say goodbye to a boy who barely knew he existed, if he did at all. "There's this young man… Across the street from the house. I need to say goodbye to him."

Erwin's eyes darkened for a moment. He was being beat for the same reason that his father beat him. Of course, Erwin's father had been mistaken, but no matter how many times Erwin cried out that he was wrong, he never believed him. How many times had he shouted that Levi was just a friend? That he had been mistaken? His father always said the same thing, 'Don't worry son, I will beat the Devil out of you.' "Don't worry, I'll take you there." He looked to Rico. She was taking in a kid she didn't even know. "See you… later?" He questioned.

"Yes, we're going on a date sometime." She reached for a business card, and slid it into his pocket. "Call me."

With that, Armin and Erwin headed out. Erwin decided to speak up. "When I was young, I snuck my best friend into my house. This friend was… constantly getting into trouble. My father was the police officer arresting him almost every single time. I snuck him into the house because he had fallen from a fence he was trying to hop… And I wanted to make sure he was alright, and give him bandages. I was tending his leg, which had been really injured… He wasn't clothed because of the area I was tending to. It was innocent… I was just trying to make sure that he was alright. I hadn't expected my father to get home early. He had left his lunch there, and didn't expect me to be home either… So when he came to check on me… He saw us like that. He beat me everyday, claiming it was for my own benefit, that he had to release the devil from inside of me… Until he died of a stroke week before my eighteenth birthday." The worst part? Erwin didn't even try to save him. Despite what he remembered as his father being a good, kind man… He couldn't bring himself to do it. He left him there to choke on his own tongue. "Times have changed since then… But some people haven't."

"He doesn't even know I exist." Armin admitted, "But even if he doesn't… I still want to say goodbye." He would never be able to go to that street again, after all, his adoptive parents might see him. It was too dangerous. He just wanted to see him one more time. "I knew my birth parents, when I was really little… They knew I was gay before I did. They didn't say anything… But you know when kids are little, and they make a friend of the opposite sex, and people are always like, 'Look at his little girlfriend?' My parents never did that. Even when the girl's parents did it, my parents would correct them. They would say that we were just kids. They went hiking, they were really adventurous, they wanted to see the entire world too. But there was a blizzard while they were hiking. They never made it back." He smiled, missing them greatly, "So I decided that me and my friends would see it for them."

They came along to the glass blowing shop. Armin looked at the front door. It was one of those places like Miss Rico lived in, the shop was the lower floor, and the family lived up top. Erwin gave him some space, and Armin knocked on the door, asking to see Jean. Jean's parents thought it was a normal request, given Armin was his age, and called him down. "Hey Jean… Um… My name is Armin, I live right over there. Well, I lived… I'm moving and I…" There was a blush all across his face, "I wanted to say goodbye. I know this is weird, I mean you don't even know me… But Bye…"

When Armin went to turn and walk off, Jean grabbed his wrist, confused, "You can't say goodbye if you've never said hello." He said matter of factly, wondering what was wrong with the boy. He was acting really strangely. "And I've seen you here… A lot. You like the cobalt blue glass the best. You're always taking pictures of it, right?"

 _Actually, I'm taking pictures of you… Blowing the cobalt blue glass._ "Uh… Yeah." Armin nodded, turning back towards him. "Blue is my favourite colour."

"Mine too." Jean said with a small smile. "Where are you moving to? You should take this with you!" He darted inside, going to grab a small cobalt blue vase. He had spent weeks learning how to make vases like this! It was a traditional German style, from the river valleys, Where a vase was placed inside a larger vase! Seeming there should be no way to get the little vase in there, but that was a secret of glassblowers.

"Just… down the street. But I won't be able to come over here anymore."

"Well I'll come see you then. Because we haven't even said hello yet, Armin."

* * *

Levi helped drunken Hanji home. She was too inebriated to even talk. She had started drinking more heavily at the mention of the upcoming holiday. "You really are sloppy, you know." He sighed, supporting her weight as he slid the key into the keyhole, which was more difficult with Hanji drooling all over him.

"You _like_ it." She smiled, kissing his cheek. "You know you do. That's why you're always watching after me!"

"Irrelevant. Someone has to watch over you. And Erwin is shagging his new girlfriend, so that leaves me." He helped her in the house, setting her down on one of their temporary chairs. He went and got her a glass of water, kneeling in front of her as he gave it to her, "Drink this. You're going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow, but this should help. I don't want to be cleaning up your vomit, so keep it neat."

She patted his head as she took a swig of the water, "Hey Levi?" She slurred, messing up his hair. He normally would have wrestled her to the ground for doing this, but she was easily blackout drunk at the moment. So she wouldn't remember having that privilege in the morning. "Will you come to bed with me? It's cold in my room, and you're so cuddly."

"Absolutely not." He sighed, looking away. "You're not going to remember any of this conversation in the morning. If you wake up and see me next to you, who knows what you might think."

"'Oh look, Levi's so cute when he's sleeping?'"

 _More like, 'Oh look. I can see the eternal nightmares that plague him so clearly on his face!'_ "Perhaps, but my answer is still no." He forced a smile, taking the cup from her when she was done and putting it in the sink. He helped her brush her teeth and wash her face after that. It was like taking care of an old woman. An old, drunk woman.

He tucked her into bed, which was currently just a pile of blankets on the floor. Her glasses rested on top of a stack of sheet music beside her. "Goodnight, Hanji." He smiled, playing her her hair for a few minutes to help her sleep, which didn't take long given how drunk she was.

 _God, Hanji._ He sighed, looking at her face. It was a pure work of art, even in this dimly lit room, the only light streaming in from her open window. Everytime he looked, she just seemed even more beautiful.

Just… Why couldn't she acknowledge him? When she was sober, at least. He wiped a tear from his eyes, getting up. It wasn't worth crying over. He had seen her fallen asleep at her piano so many times, and she always looked so peaceful. Like an angel. She knew what it meant to be happy… So why couldn't he?

After shutting her door, he leaned on the wall outside, looking at the lights of the city from the view of the porch. He heard a key in the door, and decided to head to his room. That had to be Erwin. But he couldn't see him like this, not now, not ever. This was one of those things he just couldn't talk about.

Why he felt so alone when he looked at her. That pain in his chest, the emptiness. He hadn't known it before he met her. So why? Why couldn't he just bury it, and be done? Despite the pain, he had jumped at the chance to be her housemate. Despite the pain he knew it would cause him. They were best friends after all, and he would do anything for her.

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 **Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!**


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